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Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:35 am
by ROADSIDE
Ok....
My shop is located on a major highway that leads from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. Currently the stretch of road I am on is somewhat rural.
BUT thats all about to change.

2 years ago they built a dinner 2 doors down from my shop. Since then business has gone up. Yesterday I received a letter from the zoning board and they are trying to re-zone the entire area around me to build a TGIFriday's, Old Navy, Bed Bath Beyond.....
I am think theses store could help my business.....

but here is the killer they are also trying to build a Wal-Mart across the street from my shop!

Is this going to put me out of business? Everyone always says that Wal-Mart kills small business.....

What do you think .... What should I do?

Wal*Mart vs. Small Business

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:03 am
by boraxx
We had a new Wal-Mart SuperCenter open a few years ago, but the only businesses that realy suffered were KMart and a family-owned clothing store. Both busineses closed down within a year of Wal-Mart's opening. After four years a long-time local hardware closed down but I think it was as much a result of Ace Hardware opening as it was Wal-Mart. Like in a small rural area is rough enough without businesses being closed down but I think the increase in local employment far outweighs any negative impact.
Just my personal opinion.

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 1:39 pm
by ROADSIDE
I look at it this way.... With a TGIFridays across the street people that dont know I am here will start to notice.
More cars = more customers!

I am concerned that people will want to buy sweatshirts and such from wal-mart and have me print on them. I am not really comfortable doing that because I lose money and sometimes mess up and item.

I might even try to open a small retail store off my shop.... maybe sell goods that wal-mart doesnt carry...

Wal-Mart

Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:19 pm
by boraxx
More traffic is a good thing and I wouldn't worry about Wal-Mart. If they want you to print on Wally's shirts...just say no, the quality can't be depended upon. Wal-Marts pre-prints won't cut into your business because they don't have that good of a selection.

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:12 pm
by Travis_Underground
for the most part I would figure that you can get shirts and sweatshirts at a cheaper price per shirt than walmart...
I wouldn't worry about it. The restaurants should help business... like the person above said... more cars= more money...

I know our shop is located about 10 mins from walmart, 5 from a Kmart, and like 5-10 from a mall so we do print alot of shirts that are just brought in... but when they are customer provided its understood that We will try our best to make them look fantastic but we cannot garuntee that they will be perfect everytime... when we mess up we do USUALLY replace them... sometimes its You get what we Give type of situation...

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:57 pm
by jaydlbug
Unless Wal-Mart decided to do custom screenprinting why would you be worried? But opening up a retail shop, well that doesn't make any sense, that's where Wal-Mart will be directly in competition with you and you will not win that.

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:37 pm
by ROADSIDE
Roadside wrote:maybe sell goods that wal-mart doesnt carry...
CUSTOM ITEMS

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:39 am
by Tagg3r
Before putting up the money for retail space, I would find out how you can get in-touch with Wal-mart's regional buyer. We have a small shop, and have had some success with bringing in our stuff to Wal-Mart with "hit & miss" apparel. (Local event stuff) If that doesnt work, I would go retail, You have the ability to react on the local stuff faster then them.

One thing that we have noticed with our Wal-mart is they are trying to get into our school spirit wear business. now that is the part that sucks :x

We are more of a design driven shop, not so much price item... So keep your designs better then theres, and you should do fine!!! But hang in there, It will all work out.

Later,

Re: Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 12:23 pm
by HelpRunMyshop.com
IMO if they bring you walmart shirts tell them to take them back and have walmart print them i just hate cheap people lol

Re: Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:24 am
by VVP
I know this post was forever ago, but have they built the Walmart yet? What was the result?

Re: Good & Bad Neighbors - MUST READ!

Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:40 pm
by ROADSIDE
actually the economic downturn put the breaks on the project from what I am hearing.
Has not hurt us any. We are trying to buy up the land while the going is good.